The City is looking for a minimum of 10 Oakland residents to train as Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) members.  The classes are about a 16 hour commitment, that can either split it into 1 evening a week for 2 hours or 2 full Saturdays. The choice will be up to the group. 

 

CERT is a training program that allows civilians and government employees to take the necessary steps in an emergency to save lives. During emergencies citizens can manage utilities and put out small fires; treat the medical emergencies by opening airways, controlling bleeding, and treating for shock; provide basic medical aid; search for and rescue victims safely; and organize themselves and spontaneous volunteers to be effective. CERTs are not intended to replace a community's response capability, but rather, to serve as an important supplement to it during emergencies when government response capabilities are spread thin.